NEWS
Ukraine War: Arnold Schwarzenegger speaks to Russian people, and its leader
Yemie ADEOYE with Agency reports
HOUSTON TX– FORMER California state Governor, and international Hollywood star, Arnold Schwarzenegger has made a passionate video appeal to the Russian people and leadership over the ongoing war in Ukraine.
The former republican Governor, who made a similar video to condemn the January 6th US Capitol insurrection spoke about his ties and love for Russia and its people, stating further that it is for the reason they deserve to hear nothing else but the truth at a crucial moment such as this.
“I am speaking to you today because there are things that are going on in the world that are being kept from you, terrible things that you should know about,” the global superstar, who visited Russia many times for work and as a tourist, began his message.
The Terminator star, 74, went on to say that because of his affection for the Russian people, he wanted to share the “truth” about the war. “No one likes to hear something critical of their government. I understand that. But as a longtime friend of the Russian people, I hope you will hear what I have to say.”
Schwarzenegger said, “I know your government told you this is a war to denazify Ukraine. De-Nazify Ukraine? This is not true. Ukraine is a country with a Jewish president,” President Zelenskyy. “A Jewish president I might add whose father’s three brothers were all murdered by the Nazis.
“You see, Ukraine did not start this war. Neither did nationalists or Nazis. Those in power in the Kremlin started this war. This is not the Russian people’s war.”
Schwarzenegger talked about the United Nations vote in which 141 countries condemned Russia for starting the war and demanded the and withdrawal of Russian forces from Ukraine. Only four countries sided with Russia.
“The world has turned against Russia because of its actions in Ukraine,” said Schwarzenegger, who showed video footage of a bombed orphanage, hospital maternity ward and displaced refugees — 3 million and counting.
Schwarzenegger said the government hasn’t just been lying to citizens but to its soldiers. They’ve been given fake reasons for the war — and some soldiers weren’t even told they were going into battle, leaving them unprepared and putting their lives at risk.
He shared a personal story comparing what Russian soldiers have been told to his Austrian father being lied to by his government when he was a Nazi soldier.
“He lived the rest of his life in pain,” Schwarzenegger said of his father, both physically and mentally “from the guilt he felt.”
“To the Russian soldiers listening to this broadcast, you already know much of the truth that I’ve been speaking,” he said. “You have seen it with your own eyes. I don’t want you to be broken like my father. This is not the war to defend Russia that your grandfathers or great-grandfathers fought. This is an illegal war.”
Schwarzenegger called on Russians to help spread the truth about the “human catastrophe that is happening in Ukraine.”
To President Vladimir Putin, Schwarzenegger sent a direct message: “You started this war. You are leading this war. You can stop this war.”
Schwarzenegger concluded his video by applauding the bravery of Russian protestors who have spoken out against the war and faced consequences for it.
“You are my new heroes,” he said. “You have the true heart of Russia.” He enthused.
Schwarzenegger’s message, which has gone viral, is being sent at a time in which Russia is tightly controlling how news is being reported within the country. The government has also censored the internet, blocking various news sites as well as social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
NEWS
N1.7trn Loan: Atiku Blames NASS For Worsening Nigeria’s Debt Burden
Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has criticized the federal government’s plan to secure an additional N1.7 trillion loan through Eurobonds to cover a shortfall in the 2024 budget, describing the borrowing as unsustainable and harmful to Nigeria’s economy.
In a statement shared on Thursday via his X (formerly Twitter) handle, Atiku accused the Bola Tinubu-led administration of burdening Nigerians with debt while failing to provide clear answers about the country’s fiscal challenges.
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He also faulted the National Assembly for enabling what he called a “voracious appetite” for loans.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate expressed alarm over a recent World Bank report ranking Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), calling the development troubling.
“The recent report released by the World Bank, showing Nigeria as the third most indebted country to the International Development Association (IDA), is very concerning,” Atiku stated.
He raised further concerns about the government’s decision to benchmark the proposed loan at an exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, despite the Central Bank of Nigeria’s official rate being over N1,600.
“What makes this particular loan proposal even more concerning is that it is benchmarked at the exchange rate of 1 USD to N800, whereas the current exchange rate from the Central Bank of Nigeria stands at over N1,600 to 1 USD,” he said.
Atiku questioned the need for additional borrowing, given the government’s earlier claims of record-high revenue collection.
“In July this year, Tinubu boasted that the FIRS and Customs under his watch had collected all-time high revenues to finance the budget. Why are they still borrowing?” he said
He accused the government of a lack of transparency, describing the borrowing spree as detrimental to Nigerians already struggling under economic hardship.
“There is something that they are not telling Nigerians, even as they are being crushed by a combination of their failed trial-and-error policies and loan rackets.”
Atiku also referenced a report by BudgIT, a budget monitoring group, which criticized the 2024 budget for its inefficiencies.
He alleged that corruption, rather than infrastructure or development needs, was driving the government’s borrowing decisions.
“These loans are powered by corruption and not for infrastructure and development needs. This voracious appetite for humongous loans is deeply concerning,” he said.
Reflecting on Nigeria’s financial history, Atiku lamented the return to significant foreign indebtedness just years after former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration cleared the country’s debt.
“It is agonizing to see that just a few years after the Obasanjo administration took us out of foreign indebtedness, we are today back at the top spot in the same conundrum,” he stated.
He called for a more cautious approach to borrowing, urging the government to prioritize fiscal responsibility and transparency to avoid worsening Nigeria’s economic challenges.
International News
ICC Issues Arrest Warrants For Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Others
The International Criminal Court (ICC) has taken a historic step, issuing arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant.
The charges include crimes against humanity and war crimes allegedly committed during Israel’s recent assault on Gaza.
In a detailed statement, the ICC accused the Israeli leaders of “intentionally and knowingly depriving the civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity.”
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The ICC’s move marks a significant escalation in international scrutiny of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Netanyahu and Gallant are alleged to have orchestrated policies that caused severe harm to the civilian population in Gaza, leading to widespread condemnation from human rights organizations.
Alongside the charges against Israeli officials, the ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif. Deif has long been a central figure in Hamas’s military operations. Israel’s military claims to have killed him in a July airstrike, although this has not been independently verified.
The warrants highlight growing calls for accountability amid the ongoing conflict in the region. The ICC’s actions are likely to provoke heated debate and may complicate diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the crisis.
With the warrants issued, global attention now turns to how the international community will respond and whether any practical steps will be taken to enforce them.
NEWS
Edo State Governor Sets Up Committee To Recover Missing Gov’t Vehicles
Governor Monday Okpebholo of Edo State has inaugurated a 12-member committee tasked with recovering government vehicles reportedly in private hands.
The committee, led by Kelly Okungbowa, has been given a two-week mandate to retrieve the vehicles and ensure their return to the state government.
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Speaking during the inauguration ceremony in Benin City, Governor Okpebholo emphasized the importance of accountability in the management of public resources.
He urged the committee to carry out its assignment thoroughly and within the bounds of the law.
In his response, Okungbowa expressed gratitude to the governor for entrusting the team with the assignment, vowing to deliver results within the stipulated timeframe.
“A lot of vehicles used by the past administration are missing, as those in custody of the vehicles have refused to return them,” Okungbowa said.
“The governor deemed it fit to inaugurate us today with a mandate to recover all government vehicles in private hands.”
The committee, which includes representatives from Edo’s three senatorial districts, is set to investigate and recover the vehicles based on credible intelligence already at their disposal.
“We already have vital information regarding some persons still holding government vehicles,” Okungbowa stated. “We will do the job according to the law, and both the government and the people will be satisfied with the outcome.”
He also called on members of the public to assist the committee by providing information about any government vehicles that may still be in private possession.
“We want to appeal to members of the public who might be aware of anyone still keeping government vehicles in their houses to please inform us to enable the committee to recover such for the Edo State Government,” Okungbowa said.
The committee’s vice chairman, Rt. Hon. Victor Edoror, a former Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, will work alongside other members to ensure the success of the initiative. The public can reach the committee at 08110165121.